NY bill would bar condoms as proof of prostitution

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York would become the first state to prohibit police and prosecutors from using the possession of condoms as evidence against suspected sex workers under a measure pending before lawmakers.

Critics say it's unfair and undermines efforts to promote condom use.

A 2010 study found that more than half of sex workers surveyed in New York City had had condoms confiscated by police. Nearly a third said they sometimes didn't carry condoms because they feared getting in trouble.

Prosecutors in San Francisco, Brooklyn and Nassau County in New York have already stopped using condoms as evidence of prostitution. But advocates say a statewide law would ensure people aren't targeted by police for possessing condoms.

The New York Police Department has long opposed the bill but said Friday it's reviewing its policy.